Display rack



H. S. BEST DISPLAY RACK July 16,l 1929.

Filed March 13, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 16, 1929.

H. S. BEST DISPLAY 'RACK Filed mmh 13, 1925 s slams-sheet a July m6, 19m

DISPLAY RACK Filed March 13, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet '5 jx m July 16; 1929.H. s. BEST v mzole DISPLAY RACK Filed March 1:5, 192e Ik5 sheets-sheet 4F l v 'mv-m liu ln ll Il Il ll |n1||||| il Il llllllluux J l x July 16,1,929. r. Haags-r 1.120.816

DISPLAY RACK Filed March 15, 192e4 5 sheets-sheet 5 2 5/f yl@ ZZ @y dlllatentecl .luly 16, 1929..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY S'UMNER BEST, 0F GLV, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 JOHN H. BEST & SON S,OF GALVA, ILLINOIS, .A FIRM COMPOSED OF CHARLOTTE SUMNER BEST, DONJEWELL BEST, LEON HENSON BEST, AND HARRY SUMNER BEST.

DISPLAY RACK.

Application filed March 13, 1928. Serial No. 261,272.

This invention relates to display racks in general and particularly,though not exclu sively, to mechanically operated means for displayingbroadloom, wideloom, chenille, carpeting, and like material which isgenerally made from nine to thirty feet in Width and up to sixty feet inlength.

A rack ofthe present kind will be usedI in warehouses and cuttingdepartments and 1n many other places where material of theabovementioned kind is lto be used, displayed and stored. Heretofore ithas been impose.E

vided with a. plurality of rolls arrangedtherein whereby all the rollsare given planetary movement and the individual rolls are revolvedmechanically.

Another object is to provide an improved and compact arrangement ofparts to mechanically operate the rolls whereby the rolls may bearranged in tiers, and ally one of the rolls in any tier may be broughtto display position, and then operated to unroll and re-roll thematerial thereon.

And another object is to provide improved driving means for providingplanetary movement to the rolls and maintaining the rolls in properspaced relation to each other, and -which will permit individualoperation of the rolls from the same prime moverv without interferencewith any of the other parts of the apparatus.

'lhe accompanying drawings illustrate a selected embodiment of theinvention and the views are as follows :l

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my improved i i display rack.

l or rig. a

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.v Fig. 3 is a detail plan view on theline 3 Fig. 4 is a 4--4 of Fig. 3.

detail sectional view on the line Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view onthe line 5--5 of Fig. 3. y

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view on the line 66 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view on the line 7-7 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a detail view of the gears for individually rotating therolls.

Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view of one of the uprights.

F ig. 10 is an exploded view of the lower part of an upright and theconnecting means.

`Referring to the drawings, 1 designates generally a frame which is madeup of a plurality of adjustable uprights 2, prefer ably made in twoparts 3, 11, Fig. 9, of tubing or standard black pipe. The lower pipe 3rests upon a support 4 which is rovided withl an upstanding plug 5,wliich tits snugly in the lower end of pipe 3 to support the same. Thesupport 4 is provided with apair of lugs 6 on its base which fit intoholes 7 formed in the base board 8 secured to the floor, Fig. 10.Brackets 9 are rigidly fastened to the pipe, Fig. 9, for a purpose tohereinafter appear. The upper end of the pipe 3 threadedly engages thelower end of a combination reducer and supporting bracket 10 and thelower end of the upper pipe 11 threadedly engages the upper end of thebracket 10 and extends down into the pipe 3 as shown. A ceiling plate 12is threaded to the upper end of the pipe 11 to fasten the upright to theceiling 12 This construction permits any adjustment which may berequired due to unevenness of the floor or ceiling and facilitatesinstallation of the frame.

Rails or other suitable members .13 forming a track are su ported on thebrackets 9 and 10, Fig. 9. eels 14 suitably mounted on bearings 15 and16 and carried by the shafts 17 of the rolls 18 run on the rails 13,Fig. 4. Endless chains 19 composed of a plurality of links 2() areloosely mounted on the shafts 17, Figs. 2 and 3. A roller 2l mounted oneach link 20 intermediate each shaft 17 engages one of the recesses 22,Figs. 2 and 6, in the driving sprocket 23 which is mounted in a bracket24 secured to the'uprights 2, Fig. i5, and drives the chain 19. Therecesses 22 are substantially IUI-shaped and have circular bottoms andoutwardly flaring sides so that the rollers 21 may be easily received,supported and discharged in a free and easy manner. Arcuate recesses 22spaced about the periphery of the sprocket 23, intermediate the recesses22 are' engaged by the wheels 14 and assist in driving the rolls 18 andkeeping them in proper position. A second sprocket 23 is arranged at therear end of the frame for supporting the chain and rolls, Fig. 2. Atake-up 25, Fig. 2, is arranged at the rear end of the frame andprovides for adjustment of each of the chains 19. v

A main shaft 26, Fig. 1, suitably .mounted in bearing brackets 27 isdriven by a reversible motor 28 through the reduction unit 29. Pulleys30 and 31 are loosely mounted on the shaft 26 and a clutch 32 splined onthe 4shaft 26 and arranged between the pulleys 30 and 31 selectivelyoperates either of said pulleys. A pulley 33 fixed to the shaft 34 ofthe driving sprocket 23 is driven by means of a belt 35 from the pulley30.

The apparatus is constructed in two separate tiers as clearly shown inFigs. 1 and 2. The upper tier is substantially the same in constructionas the lower tier, and a shaft 34 supporting the upper driving sprocket23" has fixed thereto a pulley 33 which is driven by the belt 35 fromthe pulley 31. Through these parts the lower or upper driving sprocketsmay be selectively driven to drive either of the chains 19 to move anyof the rolls 18 of either tier into display position, which ispreferably at the front of the rack, to the left Fig. 2. Instead ofemploying pulleys and belts to drive these parts, sprockets and chainsmay be emplo ed.

suitably supported counter shaft 36 located adjacent to the main driveshaft 26 is driven from the drive shaft through suitable gearing 37. Asprocket 38 fixed to the counter shaft 36 drives the chain 39 andoperates a sprocket 40 for selectively rotating one of the rolls 18 inthe upper tier. The sprocket 40 lis loosely mounted o n a sleeve 41 onthe shaft 34 and supported in suitable bearings in the frame. A sprocket42 loosely mounted on the sleeve 41 drives the lchain 43 to operate thesprocket 44, Fig. 5, for rotating one of the rolls 18 in the lower tier.The sprocket 44 is fixed to a sleeve 41 on the shaft 34 which issupported in suitable bearings in the lower part of the frame, Fig. 5.Clutch mechanism 45 arranged between the sprockets 40 and 42 and keyedto sleeve 41 provides for selective operation of either of the sleeves41 and 41', Fig. 1,

An arm 46 loosely mounted on the sleeve 41 carries an idler gear 47which meshes with a gear 48 fixed to the sleeve 41, Fig. 8, so thatduring rotation. of the sleeve 41 the gears 47 and 48 will also rotate.A gear 49 is fixed to the outer end of each of the shafts 17, and thesegears are adapted to successively mesh with the idler gear 47 when therolls 18 are brought to display position, to the left, Figs. 2 and 6.When the gears are all in meshing. relation, the roll that is in displayposition can be rotated to wind onto or off that `roll.

A yoke or bolt 50 is slidably mounted in the guides 51 which are fixedon the arm 46, Fig. 8. The yoke 50 is ada ted to be moved over the end52 of the sha t 17 to keep the gears 47, 48 and 49 in meshing relationwith eachother, and revent any movement of the chain and rol s which mayoccur due to any thrust caused b one of the rolls being more heavilyloade than the others.

Upper and lower stops 53 and 54, Fig. 2,

are fixed to one of the uprights 2 and engage a part of the arm 46 sothat during movement of the chain, the roll in display position willautomatically be thrown out of engagement with the idler gear 47 andprevent further rotation of the roll. The stops 53 and 54 aresufficiently spaced apart to allow for approximately 60 degree movementof the arm. It is understood, of course, that the yoke 50 is releasedfrom the end 52 of -shaft 17 before the driving sprocket 23 is againoperated.

The upper tier operates inthe same manner as the lower tier justdescribed, and it is provided with an arm 46 and the gears 47 and 48 toselectively operate a gear 49 on a roll shaft 17, so that when the rollsare brought into proper position the yoke 50' will lock the gearstogether and prevent movement of the driving sprocket 23" when one ofthe rolls 18 is being rotated, Fig. 2.

The operation of the device is as follows: The motor is operated by aswitch 55 con veniently located on one of the uprights 2 and drives themain shaft 26 and the counter sha-ft 36. If itis desired to bring one ofthe rolls 1.8 of the upper tier into display position, the clutch 32 isthrown into engagement with the pulley 31 and the shaft 33 is driven torotate the driving sprocket 23". As the driving sprocket rotates, one

of the rollers 21 will be received in one of the recesses 22 in thedriving sprocket and cause planetary-movement of the chain. As soon asone of the rollers 21 recedes from one of the recesses' 22, anotherroller is brought into communication with another recess 22 therebyassuring constant movement of the chain by the driving sprocket.

When the chain is moved tdbring a roll into display position, the clutchis disengaged from the pulley 31 and allt-he rolls will remainstationary. The sliding yoke 50 is `then operated to engage the end 52of the shaft 17 to lock the gears 47', 48 and 49 together and preventself movement of the cha-in and driving sprocket. As the rolls are veryheavy and incapable of being rotated by handto unwind some of thematerial reroll the material.

therefrom, or wind some thereon, the clutch 45 is thrown into engagementwith the sprocket 40 thereby driving the sleeve 41 and the associatedgears, to rotate the forward roll and unwind some of the broadloom fromthat roll. As soon as a sufficient amount of material is unwound fromthe roll, the clutch 45 is disengaged from the sprocket 40 therebypreventing further rotation of the sleeve 41' and the roll.

When it is desired to show the material on one of the rolls in the lowertier, the clutch 32 is brought into engagement with `the gear 30 and thedriving sprocket 23 will drive the lower chain 19 bringing the-desiredroll to display position. then disenga ed from the pulley 30 andthechain and ro ls will remain stationary. The yoke 50 is then positionedon the end 52 of the shaft 18 to lock the gears together and the clutch45 is brought into engagement with the sprocket 42 to rotate the roll 18and unwind some ofthe material therefrom. The roll is operated in areverse direction when the material is to 'be wound on a roll.

From the above, it is apparent that any roll in either tier may bebrought to display position and then rotated to unroll or As the motor28 is of the reversible type, the chain may be caused to tra-vel ineither direction.

As the rolls of either tier have planetary movement and travel fromlower to upper position on the track 13 there is a tendency or the upperrolls, of either tier, to be raised olf the track adjacent the drivingsprockets and provide a strain on the chain. To overcome this tendencyand to prevent any strain, an inverted rail 56 is secured to two of theuprights and is adapted to engage ythe top o the wheels 14, Fig. 7, andretain the wheels in normal position on `the track 13. The rails 13 and56 are located relative to each other as shown in the several views andallow the rollers 21 to' leave the high point of the circle on a lineprependicular to the vertical axial center line of the drive shaft 34and assume a true horizontal positionon the rails 13.v The rai-ls 56also keep the rollers 21 in proper osition in the recesses 22 when therollers cave the low point of the circle after being released from thesprocket 23, thereby preventing a tendency to sag.

It will thus be seen that the rollers 21 serve a double p-urposegftheycarry the rolls 18 oil' V-the high point of the sprocket in an evenposition as they rest on the track 13 before the rolls 18 have passedthe high point of the sprocket, and the u per rail 56 keeps the adjacentroller 21, w 1ch is between the rails 13 and 56, from lifting.

Changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of theparts without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of theadvantages of the invention and The clutch 32` is the right is herebyreserved to make all such changes as fairly fall within the scope of thefollowing claims. f i

I claim:

1. A display rack comprising a frame, a roll mounted in said frame, achain traveling in said frame and connected to said roll for providingplanetary movement to said roll, a motor driving said chain and meansconnecting the roll to the motor for revolving said roll independentlyof said. planetary movement. l

Q. A display rack cmprising a' frame, a traveling conveyor mountedl insaid-frame, a plurality of rolls supported on said conveyor, and"individually revoluble thereon, means driving said conve or forimpart-in planetary movement to nl iof said rolls, an

A means for individually revolving any of said rolls.

3. A display rack comprising a frame, a plurality of rolls connectedtogether and arranged in tiers, means for imparting planetary movementto all the rolls in any one tier, and means for revolving any roll insaid tier, a common driving motor, and means for connectingr said motorto said imparting and revolving means.

'any one tier and to revolve one of said rolls in `another tier. i

6. A display rack comprising a frame, a plurality of rolls connectedtogether and arranged in tiers, a driving motor common to ysaid tiers,means adapted :for connection with lsaid motor for selectively impartingforward and reverse planetary movement to all of said rolls in any tier,and means driven by said motor for revolving one of said rolls in eitherdirection.

7. A display rack comprising a frame, rails supported on said frame, aplurality of rolls supported on' said rails, links connecting saidrolls, a driving sprocket operatively engaging said links for impartingplanetary movementto said rolls, and driving means for revolving any oneof said rolls.

8. A display rack comprising a frame, rails supported on said frame, aplurality of rolls supported on said rails, links connecting said rollsand forming a chain, rollers on said chain, a driving sprocketoperativelyv a Madere nient to said chain, and driving means forrevolving any one of said rolls independently.

9. A display rack comprising a plurality of adjustable uprights, railssupported by said uprights and forming a track, Wheels on said track, ashaft for said Wheels, a roll liXed to said shaft. chains engaging theends of said shaft, a driving sprocket engaging said chains forimparting planetary movement to said roll, a gear on said shaft, andmeans selectively communicating With said gear to cause independentrevolution of said roll.

10. A display rack comprising a plurality of adjustable uprights, railssupported by said uprights and'forming a track, Wheels on said track, ashaft for said Wheels, a roll fixed to said shaft, chains engaging theends of said shaft, a sprocket shaft, a driving sprocket on said shaftand engaging said chains for imparting planetary movement to said roll,a gear on said first named shaft, an arm loosely mounted on saidsprocket shaft, an idler on said arm and adapted to mesh ivith saidgear, and a driving gear meshing with said idler gear to drive said rstnamed gear and revolve said roll.

ll. A display rack comprising a plurality oit adjustable uprights, railssupported by said uprights and forming a track, Wheels on said track andarranged in pairs, a. shaft :tor each pair et Wheels, a roll tired toeach shaft, chains engaging the ends of each shaft, a. sprocket shaft, adriving sprocket on said shaft and engaging said chains for impartingplanetary movement to said rolls, a gear on each first named shaft, anarm loosely mounted on the sprocket shaft, an idler on said arm andadapted to mesh with said gear, and a driving gea-r meshing 'with saididler to drive said tiret named gear to revolve said roll, and means1for ioeking said gears together to prevent self movement of said rolls.

12. ik display rack comprising piuraiity ci adjustable uprights, rails'supported. by

said uprights and forming a track, a plurality of pairsof `Wheels onsaid track, a shaft for each pair of Wheels, a roll iXed to each shaft,chains engaging the ends of said shafts, a sprocket shaft, a drivingsprocket on said shaft and engaging said chains for imparting planetarymovement to each of said rolls` a gear on each of said first namedshafts, means intermittently communieating with said gear to causeindependent revolution of said roll, means for operating said drivingsprocket in either direction, and means for operating said driving gearin either direction.

13. The combination of a suitable frame, a

traveling conveyor mounted therein, a plu.

rality of spaced rolls carried by said con;

veyor and adapted to be bodily moved into display position by saidconveyor, means for retaining1 a roll in said position against movement.a power motor driving said conveyor, and means for connecting saidretained roll with said motor for rotating the roll in said position.

l5. The combination of an endless traveling conveyor comprising aplurality of pivn @tally connected links, and sprockets at the endsaround which said chain travels, said sprockets having supportingportions for the pivotal connections of said links and havingintermediate recesses, a plurality of individually rotatable rollsmounted on said links intermediate the pivotal connections thereof,means intermediate said pivotal connections for engaging in saidrecesses, and means iter driving the conveyor and for the rolls.

HARRY SUMNER, BEST.

